City and Country Love
by princess2000204
Summary: Currently under revision as of 121107. Serena had made a good life from a rather bad childhood, with her daughter she's made the best of what she's given. Darien has two lovely little girls, he has his own chip he has to carry...? What's to come?
1. Chapter 1

Heya everyone! This story was originally posted as 'Love in the Country mixed with the City' but that was just TOO long, so I've renamed it and got me a beta to revise it. My beta, who I absolutely LOVE, is Alison (Saturnianali8r)!

Disclaimer: I don't believe in this, but this is for those few dimwitted people, I don't own Sailor Moon or anything associated with Sailor Moon! I only own this nice little story.

Author's Note: This story actually came to me when I was listening to Deana Carter's Strawberry Wine which is later incorporated. If you become too confused about who the characters are please feel free to ask. Also for you lovely flamers, I bask in your glow and just let your flames burn out.

Note: I'm reposted thischapter because it's come to my attention that you think, later on in the story, that I'm repeating myself when Serena is yelling at Rini. She's not, it's from 2 different POVs on the same scene. wont let me space out the scenes, so they all run together and it seems the way it does.

Rating: PG-13 maybe a little R-ish, not very familiar with the new rating system yet.

* * *

It was a warm, humid day. Serena Rosalie Tucker was sitting down on a tree stump as she looked out over the vast rolling hills that stretched out for miles in front of her, daydreaming as she listened to the music of nature around her.

Suddenly she was startled out of her daydream by a voice shouting her name.

"SERENA!"

The voice shouted again a moment later.

"Yea?" she shouted back.

"Time to do the horses!"

"Coming!" she shouted back a reply as she got up from the tree stump and took a last look at the rolling hills before beginning to walk towards the farm that was just barely in view.

Darien Spencer was standing at the entrance to a barn when his cell phone began to ring.

"Hello?"

"Bro, when yea coming back? The girls are starting to get rambunctious." came a tired voice.

"Calm down Nate. I'll be back in a little bit." Darien replied, amused.

"Fine. See you in a while." Nate replied.

"Excuse me, sir. Do you need some help?" came a quiet voice from behind him.

"Um…" Darien muttered as he turned around to find himself face to face with a tall, blue eyed, golden hair woman.

"I asked if you need some help." the woman replied a little louder.

"Actually, yes. I'm looking for the caretaker of the horses." he replied as he stared at the woman in front of him.

"That would be me." She replied, a little hesitant.

"Well Miss, I've got two horses and I was wondering if you could keep them here since where they're at now isn't really sufficient for them." He explained, still not tearing his gaze from the sight in front of him.

"Sure, we have room. How did you hear about this place? You don't look from around here." She asked, still unsure of the man in front of her.

"My brother, Nate, told me about this place. His place is where I've been keeping them." He tells her.

"Okay, bring them here around 1:30." She replies, "If you'll excuse me, I need to get to work." She added as she walked around him to open the barn doors, revealing a long row of horses.

"No problem, see you at 1:30." he said to her before turning to walk away.

He's got a nice butt. Serena told herself as she watched him walk away.

"Oh well, gotta get to work." She thought to herself silently as she began to feed the horses.

* * *

Darien drove up to his brother Nate's house. As he stepped out of his Chevrolet Suburban, he was suddenly bombarded with two little bodies who were squealing in delight at the sight of him. 

"Hey Chloe! Hey Cecilia! Did you have fun with Uncle Nate?" Darien asked as he chuckled at the girls.

"No Daddy!" they both answered in unison, "We missed you, and Uncle Nate is no FUN!"

"Okay. How about tomorrow, you can come with me?" Darien said to the little girls as he picked them up and walked up to the two-story farmhouse.

"Yippie!" they squealed at the question.

"Guess what angels." Darien told them as he opened the door.

"What?"

"I found a really nice place to keep your horses while we're staying here." Darien told them, still chuckling at their enthusiasm.

"Yea! We can go and visit them, right?" Chloe asks as she began to whimper at the question.

"Yes, you can." Darien replied as he set them down from his shoulders. "How about you girls go and play out back with your cousin Jordan, while Daddy goes and talks with Uncle Nate." Darien said to the girls with a smile.

"Okay Daddy" the girls replied as they ran off to the back of the farmhouse.

As Darien turned around, he saw his brother grinning like a hyena. "Why are you smiling like that?" Darien asked with a confused expression on his face.

"Because I know you just met somebody, and before you say anything, I know you have by the way you're still smiling like that." Nate told him.

"Fine, okay I have met a woman I like, but don't even start. She's probably already taken." Darien retorted as he walked past him to sit down on the couch and stretch out.

"Tell me her name and I'll tell you wither or not she's taken." Nate replied as he sat down across from Darien on the loveseat.

"I don't know, but I'm gonna see her tomorrow." Darien told Nate.

"Okay." Nate replies as he sat onto the loveseat

"Hey boys, what are you up to?" came a feminine voice as a tall brunette with a green apron on walked into the room.

"Hey Lita." Darien told her with a smile.

"Hey babe" Nate replied as he looked up to her.

"So, what are you two talking about?" Lita asked as she sat on the arm of the loveseat.

"Nothing really" Darien shrugs.

"Okay," Lita says with a knowing grin as she shrugs, "Dinner well be ready soon." Lita told them as she got back up and walked away.

* * *

"Rini, it's time to leave!" Serena yelled up the stairs as she turned around to face her foster mother Irene's warm and welcoming face. 

"Where are you going, dear?" she asked worriedly as she took a glass of tea into the living room.

"Lita and Nate want me and Rini to come over tonight for dinner." Serena replied enthusiastically as a 6-year-old blonde hair girl came bounding down the stairs with a bright 100-watt smile.

"I'm ready now Mommy!" the little girl exclaimed.

"Alright sweetie." Serena replied to the little girl.

"Irene, we should be back no later then eleven and if we end up staying the night I'll call you and let you know." Serena told her as she grabbed her purse and keys from the kitchen counter.

"Okay dear, have a nice time." Irene told them with a smile and walked back into the living room.

"Mommy, tomorrow can Alissa, Marcella, and Ebony come over?" Rini asked as she put on her seat belt.

"I'll call up Aunt Mina and Aunt Raye tomorrow morning and ask. How's that sweetie?" Serena said to Rini as she backed up from the driveway of the house and drove down the main county road towards Lita's.

"Okay mommy! Can I help you tomorrow if they can't?" Rini asked as she began to bounce up and down in her seat.

"We'll see sweetie, we'll see." Serena told her as they began to approach the two-story farmhouse.

"Will Aunt Lita let me have some cookies?" Rini asked with hopeful eyes.

"How about you ask her when you see her." Serena replied as she drove up into the farmhouses driveway and parked behind a Chevrolet Suburban with an out of state license plate.

'I wonder whose that is?' Serena thought to herself as she and Rini got out of her Ford F-150.

"Come on Mommy!" whined Rini as she waited with a tapping foot at the door.

"Alright Rini, knock on the door." Serena told her as she walked up to the door. Turning around she beeped her truck shut just as the door opened.

"Umm… hello?" asked a deep male voice.

"Hey, can we come in?" Rini asked excitedly.

"Umm, I don't know."

"Bro, who's at the door?" came Nate's voice from within the house.

"A little girl." He replied.

"Uncle Nate!" the little girl exclaimed as soon as Nate looked out the door.

"Hey Rini! Where's your mom?" Nate asked as he looked out the door to the white Ford.

"Right here." comes a gentle voice. "Lita called and said she wanted me to come over tonight for dinner and that she wouldn't take no for an answer, so here I am." She told him with a giggle.

"Come on in, you know you're always welcome here." Nate told her with a smile as he put Rini down on the floor.

"Daddy, who's at the door?" asked the two little girls who came running to the door.

"Chloe, Cecilia. I want you to meet Rini. Rini, this is Chloe and this is Cecilia." Nate told them as he gestured to each of them.

"Hey, do you wanna come and play with our Barbies?" asked Chloe

Rini looked up to Serena, "Can I, mommy?" Rini asked with a little pout.

Laughing slightly, "Sure, go on." Serena replied.

"Thank you mommy. Come on, let's play!" Rini said excitedly as she lead them further into the house.

"Hello again." Darien said to the blonde haired woman he had seen from earlier.

"Oh, hello. I'm sorry, I didn't see you there. My name's Serena." She told him as she extended her hand.

"My name's Darien." He replied as he took her hand and shook it.

"Didn't you come by the horse barn earlier today?" Serena asks as she studied his profile.

"Yes, I did." He answered her and began to study her more closely then before.

"Oh yeah, you are the one who wanted room for two horses named…actually, you never told me their names." Serena tells him.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Their names are Moonbeam and Golden Crescent. They're my daughters, whom you just met." Darien answers.

"Hey Nate- Oh Sere, you've finally arrived!" Lita exclaimed as she came over to give her a hug.

"Hey Lits!" Serena exclaimed, "Did you hear that Amy is finally pregnant?"

"No way! When did she find out?" Lita asked wide-eyed.

"Last week. YOU were...let's just say not in a good mood." Serena told her with raised eyebrows.

"How far along is she?" Lita asked happily.

"I think she told me 16 weeks, but I'm not sure." Serena shrugged as Lita began to lead her towards the kitchen.

"Oh my, we have to have a get together this weekend to celebrate!" Lita exclaimed.

"Women" Nate grumbled.

"Let me guess, this has happened before?" Darien asked, chuckling.

"More then enough times. Amy is the last one to get pregnant out of the 5 women and every time they always throw a huge thing. You should have seen Mina's! She had twin girls like you and of course it was the talk of the town, as usual." Nate tells him as they go back into the den.

"I'm guessing they go overboard?" Darien asks with a raised eyebrow.

"You've got no idea, but that's not as important as how I saw you checking out Serena. If I might add, I also saw her checking you out pretty intensely." Nate suggested as he wiggled his eyebrows up and down.

"Oh please! I was just looking at her." Darien explained as he turned his attention to the baseball game in progress.

* * *

"Lita, who's the guy?" Serena asked with her hands on her hips. 

"Who do you mean? Nate?" Lita asked innocently.

"No, I mean Darien." Serena proclaimed as she began to eye Lita.

"Oh, he's just Nate's brother who's staying with us for awhile, until he and his girls are able to get a place of their own. His business moved him out here for their new offices." Lita stated as she took out a Honey Ham from the oven.

"Ooh, I didn't know Nate even had a brother and they sure don't look alike either." Serena told her as she began to set the kitchen table.

"Well, they aren't technically brothers. More like you and me, so close they might as well be brothers. The way Nate tells it is that they met in Junior High and have been friends ever since." Lita explained as she began to bring some of the food to the table.

"And I'm guessing from his girls, they're twins?" Serena stated as she began to fix Rini's plate.

"Yep. They're four going to turn five in a few months." Lita told her offhandedly.

"They're only about a year younger then Rini." Serena muttered.

"Yeah, they are aren't they!" Lita exclaimed.

"Anyways, I'll go and get the kids." Serena told her and then left the room.

As Serena walked up the stairs, she began to hear little girl voices coming from the direction of the playroom.

'I wonder what those girls are doing that's got them so giggly?' Serena asked herself as she walked to the door and opened it, just a crack, to peek in.

"Shush Jordan!" Rini exclaimed as she stood in front of a chair and began to do something.

"What are you four up to?" Serena asked as she opened the door all the way, making the three girls jump and Rini look up to her mother guiltily.

"Nothing, mommy." Rini said as she looks at her mother innocently.

"Well, go on downstairs you four. It's time to eat dinner." Serena told them as she eyed them suspiciously.

"Okay mommy," Rini replied with a little angelic smile as Chloe and Cecilia walked out the door as quickly as their little legs would carry them.

"Come on Rini, and I'm guessing Jordan's in here too?" Serena said as she looked at Rini.

"Ye-Yes." Rini muttered as she looked down at her feet.

"Well, where is he?" Serena asked.

"Umm,-"

"I'm right behind Rini, Aunt Serena." came a muffled voice behind her daughter.

"Move Rini.".

"Yes ma'am." Rini replied guiltily.

When Rini had moved aside, Serena saw that Jordan had his dark brown hair pulled up into little pink hairclips and had the girls play make-up on.

"Ri-Rini!" Serena exclaimed as she tried not to laugh at the sight. "Get downstairs, NOW!" Serena told her as she pointed towards the stairs.

"Yes ma'am." Rini replied again as she ran straight for the stairs.

"Come on Jordan. Let me get you cleaned up, sweetie." Serena told him as she untied the scarf that they had bound him with and walked him to the bathroom.

* * *

Rini walked down the stairs quickly to avoid her mother's anger and sat down next to Nate. 

"Where's Jordan and your Mom?" Lita asked as she looked at her.

Rini looked up to Lita with an innocent face, "They're coming." She replied simply and looked down at her shoes.

A few minutes later, Serena came into the dinning room with Jordan who didn't have on any make-up or hairclips in his hair.

"Rini Alexandra Tucker! Explain yourself right this minute!" she said to Rini, very angrily.

"What did she do Sere?" Lita asked worriedly.

"How would you like to have a daughter instead of a son Lita?" Serena asked with a raised eyebrow as she looked at Lita.

'I can't believe Rini did this, and for the third time on top of that! Not to mention that she brought Darien's daughters into it as well!' Serena ranted to herself as she walked down the steps with Jordan beside her.

* * *

"Jordan, are you okay?" she asked him, just wanting to make sure. 

"Yeah, I'm just never going into a room with girls anymore!" Jordan exclaimed with a shudder.

"That would be a good idea." Serena replied as they walked into the kitchen, as she tried to suppress her laughter.

As soon as they entered the kitchen, Jordan went and sat down.

"Rini Alexandra Tucker! Explain yourself right this minute!" Serena explained very angrily.

"What did she do Sere?" Lita asked worriedly.

Serena simply retorted, "How would you like to have a daughter instead of a son, Lita?" she asked Lita.

"Not again!" Lita exclaimed.

"Oh yes again, and on top of that, she got Darien's daughters into it as well." Serena exclaimed, "They had the hairclips, make-up, everything!" Serena told her as she eyed her daughter.

"Rini, why do you do that to Jordan?" Lita asked looking at Rini.

"I-I'm so-sorry Aunt Lita." Rini replied as her bottom lip started to quiver.

"Not that again Rini!" Serena told her.

"What's going on in here?" Darien asked as he walked into the room.

"Guess what my daughter got your daughters into?" Serena asked Darien, not taking her eyes off Rini.

"What?" Darien asked confused.

"Rini got them to dress Jordan up like a girl." Serena told him tiredly.

"They.did.what!" said Darien in-between bursts of laughter.

"Yeah," Serena replied.

"Not again." Darien said as he calmed down.

"Again?" Serena asked questioningly.

"Those two have done that to Jordan two or three times, maybe more." Darien told her as he tried to catch his breath.

"Oh brother," Serena uttered as she began to massage her temples.

"Don't worry about it Sere" Lita told her as she put her hand on Serena's shoulder.

"Alright" Serena said as she sat down next to Chloe.

Once dinner was over, the kids went off to do who knows what while everybody else went into the den.

* * *

"So Sere, do you want to get everybody together this weekend?" Lita asked as she kept her eye on the television. 

"Yes. It'll be fun to have everybody together again." Serena replied as she relaxed against the recliner she was seated in.

"When are you going to start the Rodeo try-outs?" Lita asked as she looked at Serena.

"I don't know, probably next week or sometime soon." Serena shrugged. "I'm not going to enter it so I don't care, whenever Irene says something about it I guess."

"Why don't you enter it? You're like a pro on a horse and you know how to handle them better than anybody else we know around here!" Lita exclaimed.

"Lits, don't start! You know good and well why I'm not doing it so don't!" Serena replied as she began to give Lita 'the eye'.

"Fine, Fine. I'll lay off." Lita said a moment later with her hands in defeat.

"What time is it?" Serena asked in a tired voice.

"About twelve." Nate replied.

"Is it alright if I stay the night Lits? I don't feel like driving home this late." Serena asked.

"Of course." Lita replied breathlessly.

"Thanks, I just got to go call Irene and let her know." Serena told her as she walked into the kitchen and dialed her phone number.

"Hello?" asked a tired voice.

"Hey" Serena said sheepishly.

"Serena, where are you this late?" asked the tired voice.

"Sorry to call this late Sammy. I just wanted to call you guys and let you know that I'm staying over at Lita's tonight and I'll be home in the morning for work with Rini." Serena explained.

"Okay Serena." Sammy replied.

"How was Baseball Camp?" Serena asked.

"It was awesome! We got to meet a few major league players and they showed us some of their secret tricks!" Sammy exclaimed excitedly.

"That does sound like fun. Tomorrow I want you to tell me all about it, but I'll let you go so you can go back to sleep." Serena told him quietly.

"Okay, see you in the morning." Sammy told her, still in a tired voice.

"Alright, goodnight and sleep tight."

"Good-night Serena." Sammy muttered as he put the phone away.

Serena walked back into the den to see Lita jumping up and down while the guys were muttering things under their breath and began to laugh.

"What got your spirits back up?" Lita asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Sammy came back home today. I woke him up though, but he sounded like he had a lot of fun." Serena exclaimed as she sat down with a sigh.

"What's the sigh for?" Lita asked with concern.

"Just worn out, nothing really."

"How come?"

"Nothing. I'm gonna go and take a quick shower and make sure the kids are in bed." Serena announced as she disappeared again.

* * *

Well that's it for this chapter, please tell me how it is! I've got about 8 or so chapters already typed up and and all of them laready betaedbetaed. I'll probably start writing more once I've posted chapter 5. 

Feedback is most welcomed!

And once again, I love my beta hugs

Princess2000204


	2. Chapter 2

Heya! I want to thank kaiba-queen and Becx who were my first reviewers with this new revision. I'm so glade you like it. As always, thank you so much my wonderful beta Alison! I hopeyou like this chapter

* * *

Serena quietly tiptoed up the stairs; back to the guest room she stayed in at Lita's when a voice startled her.

"Please calm down. I don't want you to wake up Rini." Serena whispered to the person standing behind her.

"Serena?" asked the voice as it came closer.

"Yea" she responded quietly.

"You don't need to be so tense. It's only me, Darien." He said as he stepped onto the same step as her.

"Oh, I'm sorry. You just startled me; I'm not use to anybody else being up this late in this house." Serena told him as she continued to climb the steps quietly with Darien right beside her.

"Same here" he muttered to her.

"Why are you up?" Serena asked suspiciously.

"I needed a glass of water and I don't like drinking the water from the bathroom." Darien responded as they both finally reached the top.

"Umm, okay" Serena answered.

"You?" Darien asked.

"I just needed to take a walk and clear out my head." Serena told him as she began to walk back to her room for a good night sleep, while Darien headed for his room to do the same.

* * *

"Rini! Get up!" Serena whispered in Rini's ear as she gently shook her daughter's body.

"Five more minutes Mommy." Rini muttered sleepily as she turned over.

"Alright then, but that means none of Lita's Strawberry Pancakes thing with whipped cream and real strawberries on top." Serena told her with a sly grin on her face as she held up five fingers and began to count down.

Five...Four...Three...Two...One

"I'm up! I'm up!" Rini said frantically as she looked around the room.

"Put on those clothes at the side of the bed and come down for breakfast." Serena told her and walked out the door, shutting it behind her with a sly grin on her face.

"What did you do to her?" Lita asks with a slight giggle as she walks up to Serena.

"I just used the Strawberry Pancakes on Rini to get her up." Serena said with a victorious smile on her face as they both began to descend the stairs.

"I swear, sometimes I really think you two are more like rivals than mother and daughter." Lita said as she shook her head at the concept.

"I can't help it. I just like to get her back subtly for things I catch her doing." Serena shrugged her shoulder.

"Well either way, you're out of luck. We are having Strawberry Pancakes." Lita told her as they both began to head for the kitchen.

"Draughts. Oh well, another time another trick." Serena responded simply as she walked to the kitchen table and joined Nate, Chloe, Cecilia, Jordan, and Darien at the table.

"What is this about tricks?" Nate asked with an amused smile.

"Oh nothing. Just me and Rini." Serena smiled and gave him a little wink just as she began another count down on her fingers.

Five...Four...Three...Two...One

"Aunt Lita, can I help you?" Rini asked in her angelic voice.

"Of course you can, honey. Take this plate to the table." Lita told her as she handed her a huge plate piled with pancakes that had little red specks in them, which of course were the strawberries.

"Okay Aunt Lita" Rini replied as she walked over to the kitchen table and placed the plate where it belonged on the table and sat down next to Nate.

"Here's the strawberries and of course the whipped cream." Lita said as she placed four bowls onto the table and sat down next to Serena.

"Dig in" she added with a smile.

"Sere, have you called Raye and Mina yet?" Lita asked as she took a bite out of her pancakes.

"Nope, I was going to ask the girls over today so I could talk to them before I had to start work." Serena replied as she had a spoonful of strawberries and whipped cream.

"That's a smart idea." Lita commented.

"Of course it is. That's because I thought it up." Serena retorted as she rolled her eyes.

"Silly me" Lita replied as she hit her head with her hand.

"Are you going to come by?" Serena asked, licking her fingers.

"Probably, why?" Lita asked suspiciously.

"Just to make sure you make a list of all the delicious treats we want you to bring." Serena told her with a cheesy smile.

"I already know what you all want." Lita replied with a knowing smile.

"What?" Serena asked as she looked at her.

"Everything and anything I can bake and/or make." Lita replied with the same knowing smile.

"Damn straight." Serena replied as she finished off her pancakes.

"I wouldn't bring Jordan if I were you." Serena commented as she took her dishes to the sink.

"Why?" Lita asked.

"Well, unless you want Rini, Ebony, Alissa, and Marcella…" Serena said with a smirk as she left the sentence unfinished.

"I get your point." Lita said as she walked over to Serena and did the same with her dishes.

"I'll ride behind yea if you want." Lita said as she turned to look at Serena.

"Fine by me." Serena said with a shrug.

"Mommy!" Rini says as she dashed up from her place at the table and ran to Serena.

"What is it sweetie?" Serena asked Rini as she looked down at her.

"Can Chloe and Cecilia come over today and play?" Rini asked hopefully.

"We'll see" Serena told her as she took Rini's plate and put it in the sink.

"Take your booty up to the bathroom so I can fix your hair." Serena told her as she pushed her out the door.

"Okay Mommy, don't take too long." Rini said as she started up the stairs.

"I won't." Serena told her as she walked over to a cabinet.

"I was going to bring Chloe and Cecilia with me anyways when I came to drop off Moonbeam and Golden Crescent." Darien says as he walks up behind Serena.

"Oh, okay that'll be fine with me and they can also meet Raye's and Mina's girls. They'd all have a blast." Serena told him.

"Alright" Darien replies and then Serena turned around and headed up the stairs.

* * *

"LITA!" a dark-blue eyed woman with long blonde hair tied up in a red ribbon whined.

"Mina, I'm not making a five-story baby blue cake for Amy! I love the girl to death but I'm not making that for her!" Lita explained calmly to the whinny blonde.

"Fine, then at least make your baby body cake." Mina said as she slumped back into her chair.

"I'll make that." Lita said as she began to scribble down on a piece of yellow paper.

"Um, excuse me ladies. Is Serena here?" comes a deep male voice.

Lita looked up from her paper to see Darien.

"Oh, hey. She's inside with the girls upstairs." Lita told him as she pointed to the white house with a porch that went all the way around it.

"Thanks, Lita." Darien said as he began to walk up to the house with a set of dark brown haired twin girls.

"Who was the hottie?" Mina asked as she continued to stare at his retreating form.

"His name is Darien, he's my brother-in-law so to speak and don't forget Mina, you're already taken." Lita told her.

"I don't care. I'll kick Yaten's ass out if he'll move in." Mina retorted.

"Whatever" a long black haired, violet-eyed woman said as she rolled her eyes.

* * *

"Aunt Serena, how do you put your hair up like that?" a five-year-old blonde with white streaks and dark-blue eyes asked as she pointed to Serena's hairstyle, which was put up in an extremely tight French bun that had two small micro braids hanging down on each side of her face.

"How about I show you all the next time we all have a huge slumber party, Marcella?" Serena asked. Just as she said that, all of the four girls started to scream.

"Um, Miss. Serena?" a girl's voice said behind her as she poked Serena's shoulder.

"Yes." Serena said as she turned around and came face-to-face with one of Darien's twin girls.

"Oh, hey" Serena said which caused all of the commotion going on in the room to stop.

"Hey Serena, Lita and your mom in the kitchen told me I could find you up here." Darien said as he walked towards where she sat on the floor.

"It's okay." Serena replied, "Chloe, Cecilia, why don't you come over here and you can play with Rini and her friends, okay?" Serena said as she held out her hands to the two scared looking girls that clung to Darien's pants.

"Chloe, I've some of that eye shadow that we used yesterday." Rini said as she walked up to Chloe and showed her a box full of different colors of eye shadows.

"Really?" Cecilia asked as she looked at all of the colors.

"Those are MINE!" Marcella said as she stomped up to Rini.

"Girls, stop it!" Serena said as she narrowed her eyes at Marcella, "Yes ma'am" she muttered as she found her sandals more appealing.

"How about you and Marcella take Chloe and Cecilia. You four can do Ebony and Alissa's make-up." Serena said as she sat up from the floor.

"Yea!" the four girls said as they hurried over and got to work.

"Come on and make a run for it now," Serena said laughing as she dragged Darien out of the room.

"You sure know how to handle those girls." Darien said as Serena led him down a hallway.

"I'm use to it by now." Serena shrugged as she knocked on a door.

"Yeah?" asked a young boy around the age of 17 who had light brown hair and hazel eyes.

"Sammy, can you go and watch the girls for me?" Serena asked with a smile.

"Sure" Sammy shrugged as he stepped out his room and shut the door behind him.

"Oh, and Sammy" Serena said before Sammy could walk into the room where the girls were.

"Two pieces of advice." Serena said as she held up two fingers on her right hand.

"Shoot" Sammy said as he leaned against the doorframe.

"One, don't let them get you on the floor." Serena told him causing Darien to let out a few chuckles.

"And two, don't let me catch you bringing Mika home." Serena said as she left a stark white Sammy and lead Darien back down the stairs.

"Your younger brother?" Darien asked with obvious amusement.

"He's my younger foster brother." Serena replied as she stopped in the kitchen and grabbed a few apples.

"Foster?" Darien asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, I was adopted when I was about 15 or 16." Serena said as she led him to where he had parked his Suburban that had a horse trailer attached to it.

"That's weird." Darien muttered to himself.

"What's weird?" Serena asked as she began to open up the trailer.

"I was too." Darien said, "I was adopted younger," he added.

"Yeah, weird" Serena said as she pulled open the doors.

"Do you need some help?" Darien asked as Serena began to get the horses out of the trailer.

"No, I got it." Serena replied as she huffed and managed to end up flying back a little and falling on her butt.

"Ouch!" Serena muttered as she sat up and rubbed her bruised butt.

"Are you okay?" Darien asked worried.

"Yea, I'm fine. Just hurt my butt." Serena said as she stepped down and called to the horses as she got them out.

"You take one and I'll take the other." Serena stated as she pointed to one of the horses for him.

"You've got Golden Crescent." Darien told her as they both lead a horse towards the Horse barn.

"Okay. I've already gotten them each a stable ready and they're side-by-side." Serena tells him as she lead them past all to the empty stalls right across a pitch-black horse that a white indention on its forehead and a pure white horse that had a black indention on its forehead.

"Those two are Luna and Artemis," Serena said pointing to the two opposite colored horses as she put Darien's horses into their own stalls.

"They look so beautiful." Darien said as he gazed at them.

"They are." Serena agreed as she used a bucket to give them both some oats and grains along with some cut up carrots and apples in their feeding trough.

"I've already feed them." Darien told her as he walked over to Moonbeam and started to pet her nose.

"Alright, but the carrots and oats that I'm giving them are specially and chemically made for horses." Serena told him as she went into Golden Crescent's stable.

"Its okay girl," Serena cooed as she petted Golden Crescent's nose and then slowly went to look at her shoes.

"When was the last time she had her horse shoes changed?" Serena asked.

"I think just recently. Why?" Darien asked confused at the question.

"Just wondering, no reason." Serena responded as she walked out, "And is it the same with Moonbeam?" Serena asked.

"Yea" Darien responded with a quizzical look.

"Okay, just wanted to check. I'm going to need their vet records as soon-" "Here they are." Darien said as he held out four pages of yellow and white papers for her.

"I kind of figured you might ask for them so I brought them just on the safe side." Darien explained to her as soon as he saw her surprised expression.

"Oh, okay." Serena stammered as she looked through the papers. She then took out a red pen and began to make marks on the papers.

"They're both going to need a check up in about a month or so." Serena commented as she went over to a desk and took out a thick notebook and placed the papers in there.

"Alright, where's the best vet around here?" Darien asked.

"Me and my foster mother Irene." Serena answered as she turned back around.

"Oh, alright then." Darien responded.

"Darien, I specialize in anything dealing with horses, along with a few farm animals." Serena told him as she began to go around to the horses' stables to feed them.

"Very impressive." Darien commented as he watched her.

"Not really, I just learned everything from Irene and I picked-up the rest." Serena explained as she shrugged.

"Still, I can tell you're a very dedicated person to your work." Darien told her with admiration.

"Thank you, but it's just my knack, I guess." Serena said as she put the now empty bucket down with a blush coloring her cheeks as she turned to him, "We better get back to the girls, before Raye gets into a fight with the other two." Serena told him as they walked out the barn, leaving the huge doors wide open.

"Um, okay" Darien responded and soon came back up to the table, chairs, and umbrella he had approached earlier, which now of course he heard shouting from.

"GIRLS!" Serena shouted, causing them to quiet down immediately.

"What's the problem?" Serena asked quietly as she sat down between a steamed looking Raye and a winded looking Mina.

"Mina wants the Baby to have booties and a hat, but Lita said we could have only one or the other, so I said just the booties, but lame brain wants just a hat." Raye explained.

"Um, okay" Serena said as she scratched her head.

"How about we have neither and just have a baby with a diaper on and a few blue and pink pieces of hair on its head." Serena reasoned.

"Yeah, I like that idea!" Mina beamed.

"Okay then, Sere's idea it is." Lita said as she scribbled on some paper.

"I'll be right back girls; I gotta go and rescue Sammy from the other girls." Serena said as she pointed to the house.

"Okay" the three responded as they began to discuss something else.

"Um, was that normal?" Darien asked as he pointed to the three girls they were walking away from.

"What?" Serena asked with confusion.

"That whole screaming match." Darien explained.

"No not usually, normally it's between Mina and Lita and what color something is. I could really care less as long as it has color personally." Serena responded as she opened the front door and walked in with Darien close behind.

"I'm guessing you guys do this a lot?" Darien asked with amusement.

"Yeah, every chance we get. We might argue a lot but we love to get together. In fact I was planning on having all of the girls over at my little get away house next weekend if Chloe and Cecilia want to come." Serena told him as they began to go up the stairs.

"For a get together?" Darien asked with amusement.

"No, that get together is this weekend here. You and the girls are more than welcomed to come as well, but what I was talking about was a slumber party next weekend for Rini and those girls." Serena said pointing to a pack of six little girls who were mobbing around a very girlish looking Sammy, who was on the floor.

"Oooh" Darien said as he stared at the scene.

"Wait a minute. This is good blackmail evidence." Serena said with a giggle as she raced to a room, and came out minutes later with a digital camera.

"Sammy, say cheese." Serena said over the little girl's giggles, causing them all to look up at the camera as Serena snapped the picture right away.

"Need help, Samantha?" Serena asked and then started bursting out with laughter.

"I'm going to kill you Serena." Sammy said as he began to wiggle a little.

"Hang on a minute." Serena said.

"GIRLS!" Serena yelled, causing all of the girls to look at her once again.

"I think Uncle Sammy has had enough fun playing with you girls. How about you untie him and then I'll make you some lunch?" Serena said with a smile on her face.

"Okay" they all said in unison and quickly untied Sammy, and then raced each other down the steps.

"I'm so going to burn that picture!" Sammy exclaimed as he began to wipe some of the make-up off.

"Alright Sammy, and didn't I also give you two good pieces of advice? I hope you at least plan on following the second one." Serena said as she began to glare at him.

"Why? She only spent the night." Sammy shrugged.

"Sammy, do you really want to get into this now and in front of my guest?" Serena asked pleasantly.

"Not particularly" Sammy grumbled as he began to stalk off towards the bathroom.

"Well come on, Darien. We do have six kids to feed." Serena said as she pulled his arm to get his attention. Then they both went downstairs and saw everyone eating sandwiches and drinking juice.

"Hey Serena, I hope you don't mind, but I went on and made them a few sandwiches for lunch." Irene said as she walked to her.

"Thanks Irene. I appreciate it." Serena replied as she smiled a thank you.

"No problem dear." Irene responded, "I also made a few extra sandwiches for you and Darien." Irene added as she pointed to a plate that had about six sandwiches on it.

"Okay" Serena replied as she walked over to the refrigerator, "Darien, do you want tea, juice, or soda?" Serena asks looking at him.

"Tea will be okay" Darien replied with a shrug.

"Okay" Serena answered as she pulled out a pitcher and poured two glasses full of tea and handed Darien his glass as she picked up the sandwiches and her glass.

"Let me take that" Darien said as he took the plate from her hands.

"Oh, okay" Serena responded, "Is eating outside okay with you?" she asked.

"Yea, sure" Darien said as Serena lead him out the door and to the round porch where a pair of wooden rocking chairs were with a table in-between them.

"You can set the plate down on the table," Serena said motioning to the wooden table as Serena took one of the chairs and sat down.

"Um, Serena. I hope you don't mind me asking, but what was that whole thing between you and Sammy about?" Darien asked as he set the plate down and sat down in the other remaining chair.

"Darien, you're a guy and what did you do with your girlfriend at 17?" Serena asked with a raised eyebrow as she took a bite out of a sandwich.

"Ah, I catch your drift." Darien replied a few seconds later with a blush apparent on his cheeks.

"Yeah and it's especially a big deal for me, since I had Rini when I was only 16." Serena explained to him softly.

"Oooh, I get where you're going at. You don't want Sammy to get stuck in the same boat as you?" Darien asked.

"Yeah, in similar words." Serena replied.

"I understand completely. I had Chloe and Cecilia when I was only 20 and have had to raise them on my own since then." Darien told her as he took a sip of his tea.

"What about the mother?" Serena asked, still in her soft voice.

"She died giving birth." Darien responded quietly.

"You must have loved her." Serena commented as she studied Darien's reaction.

"I didn't truly love her, but she was my first love so I'll always hold a place in my heart for her since she did give me two wonderful and beautiful daughters." Darien explained.

"I know what you mean." Serena responded as she finished off her second sandwich.

"What about Rini's dad?" Darien asked.

"Don't know, don't care." Serena answered with a shrug as she took a sip of her tea.

"Okay" Darien told her as he looked over at her and noticed her steely gaze.

* * *

Okay, well that's all for this chapter and I'm trying to get this updating on a type of schedule. I'll probably update every Sunday until we get to where I have to start actually writing the chapters and then it'll become slower.

Feedback is always welcomed!

Princess2000204


	3. Chapter 3

Heya!

Some people were wanting to know how old the Serena and Darien are so I thought I'd tell you. Serena23 and Darien26, the girls are about 24 or 25.

Enjoy

* * *

"What are you girls up to?" asked a suspicious black with light blue tints haired and light blue eyed woman as she looked around at the three widely smiling women standing in front of her.

"Nothing, can't we just have fun ever now and then, Amy?" asked a hurt sounding Mina.

"Mina, this whole scenario seems vaguely familiar." Amy retorted.

"Fine, fine! You've caught us red handed!" Lita said as she throws her hands up in the hair in mock surrender.

"What is it?" Amy asked, still not believing what was going on.

"Follow us and you'll see." Said a giddy sounding Serena as she grabbed Amy's hands and lead her up to narrow wooden stairs and through an open door to a room filled with baby yellow, blue, and pink balloons along with rattles and pacifiers hanging from the ceiling.

"Serena!" Ami squealed as she took in everything around her.

"What?" Serena asked in an innocent voice with a wide grin on her face.

"I told you not to tell!" Amy said with an accusing voice.

"Oh well, it's out now so let's have some fun." Lita said as she walked into the room with a tray of drinks.

"Your right Lita." Raye replied as she walked into the room withthe girlsbehind her.

"Where's Darien at?" Serena asked as she looked around the room.

"He said he would meet us all here after he stopped by his realtors." Nate said as he came into the room with Jordan following closely behind.

Laughing at the scared little four-year-old, "Jordan, I setup an N64 in the guest bedroom upstairs, if you want to go up there and play it." Serena told him as she led him to the stairs.

"Thank you Aunt Serena." He squeaked as he fled up the stairs quickly.

"You're welcome." Serena yelled up the stairs after him and started giggling as she turned back around and headed back into the main room (living room).

* * *

"Daddy," Cecilia said as Darien got back into the Suburban from talking to his realtor about any new houses.

"Yes, pumpkin." Darien answered as he turns around to face her.

"When are we going to see Ms. Serena?" Chloe asked, looking at Darien.

"Why?" Darien asked quizzically.

"Because we want to play with Rini again, she's fun!" Cecilia replied with a smile on her face.

"Well, you just so happen to be in luck. Ms. Serena and Aunt Lita invited us to a little party, where I'm pretty sure Rini well be along with those other girls that you played with the other day." Darien told them as he started up the SUV.

"Really! Yippie!" Chloe and Cecilia exclaimed as they bounced up and down in their seat.

Chuckling, he pulled out of the parking spot and headed towards Serena's house.

A little while later Darien pulled up to Serena's house.

"Come on girls" Darien said as he unbuckled them from their car seats, lead them up the steps, and knocked on the door.

"Yes? Oh hello Darien. Serena and the girls moved the party to her little cottage at the last minute and she wanted me to give you these directions." Irene said with a cheerful smile as she handed him a piece of paper, "She also wanted me to also tell you that she's sorry and that she hopes to see you there." Irene continued.

"Thank you Mrs. Milloy" Darien replied as he and the girls headed back to his SUV.

"What's going on Daddy? How come we aren't staying?" Cecilia asked fearfully.

"Miss. Serena and everybody else moved the party to Miss. Serena's cottage at the last minute." Darien replied as he buckled the girls back into their car seats.

"Are we going?" Chloe asked.

"I guess so. Aunt Lita and Miss. Serena are expecting us, so we might as well." Darien said with a shrug, then gets into the driver seat, and as he studies the directions.

"This doesn't seem that far away," he mutteres to himself as he startes up the car and begins to follow the directions.

* * *

"Serena, how did you all set this up?" asked a guy with long silver hair which is put up in a long ponytail and yellow eyes, who was simply amazed at everything he saw.

"Zack, you should know us by now! We just got together and planned." She replied with a shrug.

"Aunt Serena, Aunt Serena!" squealed a little girl around the age of three with mid-back dirty blonde hair and violet eyes up to Serena.

"What is it Ebony?" Serena asked as she kneeleds down to Ebony's eye level.

"Rini isn't sharing her jewelry." Ebony replied with her hands on her hips.

"Okay. Calm down Ebony, take me to her and I'll tell her to share." Serena replied in a calm voice.

"Okay" Ebony replied with a grin as she took Serena's hand and started to drag her to a room that was painted with white fluffy clouds, birds, and a sun on the walls.

"She's right there!" Ebony replied as she pointed to Rini who was dressed up as a princess with a tiara and everything.

"Hey mommy! Do you want to play dress up with us?" asked a beaming Rini.

"Maybe later, but what is this that I'm hearing about you not sharing your jewelry?" Serena asked with a raise of an eyebrow.

"Ebony's wanting to wear my special pearls!" Rini whined with a pout.

"I don't care. Are you wearing your pearls?" Serena asked.

"No" Rini replied.

"Then let Ebony wear them!" Serena tells her as she looks down at Rini.

"Fine!" Rini said with a scowl.

"Thank you" Serena tells her and then turns to Ebony, "It's okay honey. Eeverything's fine now." Serena tells her with a smile and then walked out the room, with Rini still scowling.

"Serena! Somebody else is at the door!" Mina yelled from the main room.

"Okay!" She yelled back to them as she walked over to her Oak front door and opened it.

She opened the door with a smile plastered on her face, "Hello!" she greets whoever is at the door in an over cheerful voice.

"Hello Miss. Serena!" yelleds two voices in unison.

"Hey Chloe! Hey Cecilia! Do you want to go and play with Rini and the other girls?" Serena asked as she bends down to the identical little girls.

They both looked at their daddy with pleading eyes.

"Go on ahead" he told them with a smile as the girls smile back at him and then turn to Serena.

"Come on girls and I'll take you to Rini's playroom." She smiles down to them as she leads the girls with Darien following close behind.

"Here you go girls, and if Rini gives you any trouble just come to me, okay." She told them as she opens the door that leads into the over cheerful room that was packed with the giggles of little girls.

"Thank you Miss. Serena" they tell her as they disappeared into the group of girls.

Chuckling at the girls in the room, "They're really into make-up huh?" Darien asked with amusement.

"Yeap and its all Mina's fault!" Serena exclaimed as she shut the door and lead Darien towards the Main Room.

"Who designed Rini's play room?" Darien asked, hoping to get a little information out of her.

"I did." Serena replied with a tint of a blush on her cheeks, "It looks like a professional did it. You have a real talent at decorating." Darien told her with a smile as they entered the noised filled room.

* * *

They have finally arrived at Serena's little cabin. It wasn't little at all. On the contrary it was huge, and what made it look even more beautiful than it already was is that it's located in the middle of a wild flower field that stretches for miles without ending.

The girls practically dragged Darien up to the front door, which by the look of it was pure wood and had a design of flowers and birds along the doorframe.

Cecilia knocks on the door, filled with excitement at meeting her new friends again.

Serena answers the door with her long blond tresses, which she wore up the other day were now down with a few little clips worn to hold a few fly-away wisps back, wearing a pale pink sundress that seemed to go nicely with her pale skin tone and accent her light blue eyes nicely.

Chloe and Cecilia quickly speak up once they see her face appear from the now opened door, "Hello Miss. Serena" they yelled, like always, in unison.

Serena bends down to their eye level, "Hey Chloe! Hey Cecilia! Do you want to go and play with Rini and the other girls?" she asked with obvious fake enthusiasm, but she also seemeds genuinely happy to see them.

Darien could suddenly feel two pair of pleading eyes on him. He looks down, and sure enough, Chloe and Cecilia's eyes were on him.

"Go on ahead" Darien said to them as he smiles at the girls. They smile back and then suddenly their eyes and attention were on Serena.

She smiles at them with genuine care, "Come on girls and I'll take you to Rini's play room." She told them with Darien following behind closely.

'A play room? Serena is obviously a single parent and she has this gorgeous house in a beautiful location, so that obviously costs more money than she's making as a horse vet and running the horse stable. How could she afford all of this and still have more than enough money to give Rini a playroom?'

Darien asked himself as he follows the three girls and is suddenly jolted from his head with the sight of Rini's playroom.

'It looks like a professional has been in here. Not to mention that this room is packed with everything a little girl could ever want."

He hears the girls tell Serena thank you and watches as they disappeared into the giggly pack of girls. Before they close the door, he notices that all of the girls are holding some form of make-up and are wearing something on their faces.

Suddenly chuckling at the thought of five-year-old girls wearing make-up like adult women.

"They're really into make-up huh?" he asked, with the thought still in his head.

"Yeap and its all Mina's fault!" He hears Serena reply in exasperation, sees a long slim perfectly toned pale arm close the door, and then sees her as they walk towards a room packed with people.

Still wondering about who designed the room and how she could have afforded it, "Who designed Rini's playroom?" he asked along with hoping to get some information out of her on her life in general.

Seeing Serena blush slightly, "I did," she mumbleds.

'Wow! She must have majored in art or interior decorating!'

"It looks like a professional did it. You have a real talent at decorating." He comments with a smile as they walked through a doorway that has baby blue, pink, and yellow streamers hanging from the top and the same colored balloons with the words 'It's a baby' written on them pinned in groups of 3 all down the doorframe.

Darien lookeds around the room and sees that it's big enough to hold a small party such as this easily without any discomfort of any kind. He looks at the ceiling and sees that it's done in a cathedral style and also that their were paintings hung, but only around the beginning of where the ceiling began to rise.

Suddenly, he felt a small hand on his shoulder that brought him back from his gazing. "Come on Darien. There are a few people that want to meet you." Serena told him, still smiling at him and then took his hand gently and leads him toward a little group of people who were talking quietly that is until Serena made the a noise as if she was clearing her throat.

"Oh, hello Serena dear." A woman who looks around her late 40s with dull brown hair that' was pulled up into an old fashioned French twist told her with a smile that had a look of adoration but also protectiveness.

"Hello Mrs. Ridgefield, how are you enjoying the party?" Serena replied in a more loving voice.

"It's one of the best so far. You girls have truly out done yourself this time! Who might this young man be?" the woman replied with a slight wiggle of her eyebrows.

"Thank you Mrs. Ridgefield and this is Darien Spencer, Lita's brother-in-law." Serena answers with a small gesture towards Lita, who was at the moment talking with a group of old women.

"Oh, hello Darien! I've heard a few things about you; it's nice to finally meet you." The old woman said in a somewhat hopeful tone, for some reason.

Putting ona polite smile, "Thank you Mrs. Ridgefield and it's nice to meet you as well." He replied as he offers his hand, which she takes and they shake each other's hand.

A few other people came over to say hello to Serena and to meet Darien.

After about 30 minutes of having to stand there with a smile that he now felt was permanently etched onto his face, Serena politely excused them out of the huddle of men and women who all seemed to greatly adore her and seemed to keep a very watchful eye on him. She took him out of the Main Room and to a set of sliding glass doors that had butterflies and flowers painted on them, which she slide open soundlessly and stepped out onto the wooden deck. There was a wooden rocking chair along with a glass table and five metal chairs with an umbrella on one side of the deck.

Serena walks over to the glass table and plops down in the closest chair.

"Sorry about all of that, but every time a new guy comes into town some of those women try their best to hook me up with them." Serena told him as she massages her temples slowly.

"Don't worry about it. Nate and his parents do the same thing to me all of the time." Darien replied as he walks over and seats down next to her.

"Did you also paint the sliding glass doors?" Darien asked with a somewhat knowing grin.

"Yea. When I get bored or stressed out, I have a big tendency to paint or redecorate." Serena explains with a blush rising up her cheeks.

"I always thought women cooked when they got bored or stressed out." Darien replied with a chuckle.

"That's just Lita. Mina, the blonde that wears her hair up in the red bow, likes to go shopping or try on cloths. Amy, the black hair with bluish tints, is either working or has her nose in a book no matter what. And Raye, the black hair and has a really fiery temper, will usually snap your head off so fast she leaves you blind sighted for a few minutes." Serena told him as she gradually relaxs into the chair.

"So I take it, stay away from Mina, and keep your distance from Raye?" Darien replied with an amused smirk as he gazes at Serena.

"Basically. Tell me something about yourself Darien." Serena said with a smile as she tries and shifts the conversation.

"Well, what do you want to know?" Darien asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Where are you from? What is your line of work?" Serena replied as she motioneds with her hands.

"Well, the girls and I moved from the cityto here because my job transferred me and I'm more or less in small words into the political side of business." Darien answered with ease.

"Do Chloe and Cecilia like it here?" Serena asked with a gentle rise of her eyebrow.

"Yea, they seem to be enjoying it here. Sure, they miss their friends, but, as you can see; they seem to have made a few friends here." Darien replied with a thoughtful smile.

Darien and Serena stayed outside passing the time with subtle talk.

"Hey girl! We've been looking for you. The party is wrapping." Mina said breathlessly.

"Oh, okay. I didn't realize we were out here for so long." Serena replied with a half smile as she swiftly gets up.

'Damn it! I was actually enjoying his company!'

"Do you need any help with picking up?" Darien asked as he gets up swiftly got up and pusheds the chair back under the table.

"Sure! The more people, the faster we get out of here!" Mina quippeds as she turneds around and skippeds back into the Main Room.

Chuckling, "Is she always hyper? Or is it because of the party?" Darien asked with humor.

"This is a normal Mina." Serena replied with amusement as she walkeds in.

"Serena! Serena!" exclaims an alarmed brunette with light red highlights bleeding into the brunette, but making it look natural.

"What is it Mol?" Serena asked as she grabs her shoulders so that the young woman could calm down.

"You'll never guess what just happened!" Molly replied with a giddy voice, but with her accent of probably Irish.

"What?" Serena asked with a little giddiness.

"Melvin just proposed to me!" Molly exclaimed as she showed off her engagement ring, which was just a simple gold band with diamonds embedded into it.

"OH MY GOD!" Serena screamed as the two girls started jumping up and down together and hugging each other in happiness.

"I can't believe it! I mean I knew he was going too eventually but I didn't know he was going to do it NOW!" Molly replied as she calmed down.

"What's all of the screaming about?" Raye asked as she comes out holding a cup of punch.

"Molly just got engaged!" Serena replied smiling happily.

"OH MY GOD!" Raye, Lita, and Molly screamed when they came out of the room.

"Umm, I'll let you girls be alone." Darien muttered under his breath as he scooted rushed out the room and rushed into the room.

"He seemed a little uncomfortable." Mina replied as she laughed at his retreating back.

"Yea" Lita and Raye agreed as they untangled themselves from the hug.

"So what were you two doing outside on the patio?" Mina asked with a little wiggle of her eyebrows.

"Eww! No! Darien and I were just talking and I was just taking a breather from the party." Serena answered."Suurre! Then how come you guys seemed so…comfortable?" Mina asked with an arched eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" Serena asked with a wrinkle of her nose.

"You were a little too comfortable with him. Normally you're all straight back when you're alone with guys." Lita answered.

"Whatever. I'm gonna go and check on the kids and Jordan." Serena said as she turns around on her heel and headed forgoes towards the playroom.

Serena cracks open the door, poked her head in, and see the girls playing a game of Candy Land. She closes the door back softly, not wanting to disturb their fun and makes her way up to the room where Jordan was playing the N64.

"Come on Uncle Jason! Give me back my controller!" came Jordan's whining from behind the door.

"O brother!" Serena muttereds under her breath as she opens the door to see Justin, Jason, Nate and Zack seating around the game console and Jordan tugging at Jason's arm.

"What do you four think you're doing!" Serena yelleds as she puts a hand on her hip.

"Uh-Oh!" mutters a blonde with hair just above his green-blue eyes.

"What?" Zack asked with an innocent look.

"Every time Raye does that I always end up sleeping on the couch for at least a week." The blonde replied.

"What do you four think your doing taking away the N64 from Jordan! You just wait until I tell your wives!" Serena exclaimed as she twirls around on her heels and storms out the room and down the stairs with a grin on her face and walked into to the room where the party was being held.

"What's up with the grin Serena!" Lita asked with suspicion.

"You might want to go and check up on your husband and Jordan." Serena replied with a glint of mischief evident in her eyes.

"Why?" Lita asked, as if trying to figure out what she was's thinking.

"Oh, just tell them a little bunny told you." Serena told her as she winks and walks away.

"Hello Serena darling." Said a deep voice behind her.

'Oh god! Why me?' Serena mentally pleads and then turns around with a smile whichis obviously fake.

"How are you doing? This party is just wonderful!" said a guy with dark brown hair that is so long that it's in a ponytail, and has light blue eyes.

"I'm doing fine and thank you, Seiya" Serena replied with a fake cheerful tone as she quietly searchs for one of the girls or someone to save her from this guy.

"So Serena, how come you haven't called me since our date last week?" he asked as he comes uncomfortably close.

"Oh, I've just been yea know…busy with the horse stable, Rini, and having to get stuff ready for the Rodeo." Serena told him as she tries to get subtly away from him.

"Um…Seiya, I see a guy I need to talk to about somehorses." Serena told himas a wave of relief washes over her at the sight of Darien standing off in the corner of the room.

"Okay, I'll talk to you later about maybe going on another date this weekend." Seiya told her with a somewhat seductive smile.

"Oh, sorry Seiya but Rini and the girls are coming over this weekend for a slumber party and I'm supposed to watch them." Serena replied as she walks over to Darien.

"Thank you so much!" Serena told him as soon as she had gotten up to Darien.

"Why are you thanking me?" he asked with a confused expression.

"For being here." Serena replied as she slumps against the wall next to him and leans a little towards his broad shoulders.

"Um…uh…okay" Darien mumbles as he nervously looks around.

'He's got really broad shoulders. I wonder if he works out any, probably.' Serena thinks to herself.

"Bye Serena!" a familiar voice screames at her from across the room.

Serena looks up and sees Lita dragging Nate by the ear with Jordan scurrying behind them quickly.

"Bye!" Serena said as she waves at them and trying not to laugh.

Raye comes storming down the stairs with Jason trudging behind and Ebony in front of her.

"I'm sorry to have to go so early, but"

"Don't worry Raye, go on and I'll call yea in the morning." Serena interrupts and waves at Ebony.

"Same here, I'm afraid. You're sleeping on the couch for at least a month for that little stunt!" Mina said as she grabs Justin's elbow and drags him out with Marcella and Alissa snickering behind them and huge grins on their faces.

"Bye!" Serena said as she winks at the two young grinning girls.

* * *

A few hours later,

Serena's standing at the front door and waving at the last of the guest to leave.

"So, who's all going to help you clean up?" Darien asked as he carries a sleeping Cecilia and Chloe in his arms.

"Nobody" Serena said with a shrug and opens the door for him.

"I'll see you in the morning?" Serena asked with a tired smile.

"How about I lay these two down and I'll help you clean up this mess." Darien said with a smile as he puts his hand on hers and closes the front door.

"You sure? You've got a long drive back to Lita's house." Serena said as she quickly snatches her hand from the door.

"Yeah, plus I don't think I should be in any hurry to get to Lita's anyways." Darien told her as he smiles weakly at just the thought of what waits for him there.

"Yeah, you're probably right. Come on. I have an extra bedroom that you can lay the girls in." Serena said as she leads him to a door with a green frog that's handing you a pale yellow flower in the middle of the white door.

Serena openes the door. Painted on the border of the room are frogs dressed up from everything to bathing suits to formal gowns, and painted on the walls is a garden of flowers of all colors and types around the room.

"Wow Serena! Did you do this yourself?" Darien asked in wide-eyed astonishment.

"Yeah, what can I say?" Serena shrugs, "It was a rainy day, I was bored, and Rini was sleeping." Serena slightly laughed in embarrassment.

"It looks extraordinary!" Darien told her as he softly lays Chloe and Cecilia on the full size bed that was decorated with a white background on the comforter with a spring garden, butterflies, and birds scattered all over.

"Well...um…let me put Rini to bed and we can get cleaning." Serena told him quietly as she walks out the room and walks to the playroom door, which is on the other end of the house from the bedroom; Chloe and Cecilia are sleeping in.

Serena quietly tipped toed into the playroom where Rini was sprawled out on the pink flower rug still dressed up in her fake fancy dress and make-up all over her face. She picked her up gently and just as quietly tip toed out and with Darien behind her all the way, goes up a staircase that's behind a door in-between where the playroom and the entrance to the living room is.

Still walking quietly, Serena opens a wooden door with a white plaque hanging in the middle of the door with the words 'Rini the Princess' written on it. She turns on the light to see Baby Pink walls, white carpet, a 13x16 pink round rug with the words 'Princess' written in a silver scrawl, plain white dresser, chest of drawers, and a mirror along with a full size bed with a white comforter that hads pink writing all over it and a huge silver tiara in the middle. The sheets where white and has the small pink writing on it.

Serena pulls back the comforter and gently places her in the bed and takes off her fake jewelry and fake dress. Then, she just as gently pulls the comforter up to her chest and tucks her in and then just as quietly creeps out, pulling Darien out as well, and then turns off the light just as she closed the door.

"Darien, give me a minute. I need to change real quickly and we can start cleaning." Serena whispers and then disappears into a door that's at the other end of the hall from Rini's door.

'Damn! Why did he have to stay and help me clean up? I could have done this by myself!' Serena rants to herself as she undresses into nothing except her bra and panties.

'Damn me and damn him! I don't need this!' Serena screams to herself as she pulls up a pair of navy blue sweat pants and a white t-shirt with the words 'County Rodeo Rider' written on top and underneath the words is a bucking bull with a cowboy on top and swinging a rope around his head.

"Okay Darien!" Serena exclaimed as she walked out her room and quietly closes her door.

"Alright" Darien smiles as Serena takes his, as she finally realizes, muscled arm. You could practically feel the muscles bulging through the casual jacket he wore, but not bulging as in their enormous, but more like it was definitely obvious he works out and a lot.

* * *

After about an hour of cleaning and them still not being anywhere near to halfway done.

"So Serena...how did you and the other four girls meet? You all seem really close." Darien asked as he puts a soaked napkin into the huge and very thick trash bag he was holding.

"Oh, um…I meet Amy when I was in 8th grade and I kind of nosed my way into her life, I guess you could say. Raye and I kind of ran into each other at the local grocer constantly and if not there than at other places I usually always hang out at and we just kinda...clicked, I guess. Lita stuck up for me when one of the local drunks came up to me and was hassling me. She got rid of him for me and ever since then we just started hanging out. Mina…..that's kind of a weird friendship. I met her at a rodeo a few years back, I was kind of having problems with my hair and she, I guess over heard, and helped me with it. For some odd reason we all just clicked together and we've been almost inseparable." Serena told him as she worked her way from the huge windows to the couch in the middle of the room.

"Hmm…, that does sound weird." Darien comments as he plops down into the chair across from her.

"Oh well" Serena muttered as she lays back against the couch and close her eyes.

"Maybe you should get some sleep. We could always finish in the morning." Darien told her as he dumps a half-empty cup of punch into the bag.

"Yeah, you're right. You can sleep in one of the extra bedrooms." Serena said as she roughly gets up and drops the black garbage bag in the middle of the floor.

"No, no. It's okay., I'll come back in the morning so you won't have to do all of the cleaning on your own." Darien told her as he walked out of the room where the party was held.

"I insist! It's-", Serena looks down at her watch on her right hand, "2:25 and not to mention you're obviously tired and Chloe and Cecilia are already sleeping in an extra bedroom." Serena explains as she walked up the stairs.

"Alright, I didn't even realize it had gotten to become so late." Darien replied under his breath, which Serena could plainly hear.

Darien walked back up the stairs after Serena, once again, and watchs as her hips swayed back and forth.

'Even under sweatpants she looks gorgeous. I wonder how she's able to keep that kind of figure after all of the other stuff she obviously does?' Darien rambles to himself until Serena knocks him out of it when she said something.

"Hmm, I'm sorry what did you say? I was kind of spacing out." He replied meekly as he weakly chuckles to himself.

"I asked if you wanted to borrow some cloths to sleep in? I have plenty of baggy cloths you could barrow." Serena told him as she opens her door and turns on the light.

The room has cream walls, all kinds of white flowers decorating it all around the room. A queen size bed with a deep burgundy comforter set, medium dark oak chest of drawers, dresser, mirror, and a trunk which stood at the end of her bed along with an oak night table which hads glass in the middle and sheer deep burgundy drapes on both sides of her sliding glass doors which went out into a very small balcony that could barely hold a person.

"Here you go." Serena replied as she thrust a pair of black pajama pants and a white wife beater into his arms.

Darien simply raiseds an eyebrow at what was given to him, "Are you sure this stuff will fit me?" he asked.

"I'm positive. You wouldn't believe how much stuff those knuckle heads leave every time they get into a fight with one of the girls, especially Jason and Nate. Plus, I also like to wear extremely baggy cloths when I'm cleaning or just wanting to relax." Serena replied with a shrug as she leads him out of her room.

"You can sleep in here. The guys seem to like it enough." Serena told him, a grin on her face.

"Okay" he replied as Serena opens a door near the stairs and turns on the lights for him.

A room that has walls painted completely black with the night sky painted onto the walls, on the ceiling was all of the constellations. A king size bed was in the middle of the wall closest to the window with a night sky blue on the comforter and a single full moon in the middle of the comforter and it was the same thing with the pillows and the sheets were just a plain night sky blue. There were also sheer black drapes on either side of the window.

"Thank you, Serena." He told her with a thankful smile as he steps further into the room.

"Don't worry about it. I'll see you in the morning." Serena replied as she waves at him and closes the door. She goes back to her room, and falls asleep before her head even hits the pillow, with Darien's smile the last thing on her mind.

* * *

"No wonder the guys like this room!" Darien exclaimed as he just stares breathlessly around him and takes in everything around him.

After a few minutes of just mindlessly staring, he quickly changes and puts his clothes on top of a chair that was in the corner, right beside the obviously huge closet.

'I wonder if Serena did this room as well? I wonder how, since she's kind of short and it would have been hard to do the ceiling.' Darien muses to himself as he snuggles deeply into the king size bed as he just stares up at the ceiling and begains to name all of the constellations and gradually falls asleep with a blonde headed woman on his mind.

* * *

Okay, that was it. I hope you liked it!

Feed back is greatly welcomed!

Also, would like to thank as usual my beta Allison

Princess


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